According to Mark Twain, a writer famous not only for his work, but also for his excellent sense of humor, quitting smoking is not at all difficult, he himself has done it dozens of times.
But seriously, according to research by sociologists, only 5% of those who quit smoking successfully complete what they started the first time. Others require 5 - 10 - 20 trials.
But there are still ways to quit smoking for good, and if you show the will, then everything will surely work out.
Only very strong -minded people can say to themselves "no" and never take a cigarette again. If the craving for tobacco is very strong and your cravings are not enough, then you should seek help from a psychotherapist and do some sessions.
Is there an easy way to quit smoking?
Many people, thinking about how to quit smoking, try to find the easiest way. Some people think about how to start smoking less, others decide to quit smoking once and for all.
Unfortunately, only people who have not experienced an addiction can quit easily. That is, who smoked recently and little by little. Otherwise, abandoning the habit will lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
The longer cigarettes have been present in a person’s life, the harder it is for him or her to quit smoking, even with the most assertive mood. Of course, the desire and confidence in success will have a positive effect on the outcome, but they will not be able to cancel the negative reaction of the body to the absence of substances that have become habitual.
So don't look for easy ways of myths. You must try to find the one that turns out to be most effective and comfortable in your situation, and keep moving towards your goals.
Potential negative consequences of quitting smoking suddenly
Having decided to quit smoking, many people think about how to do it without endangering their health. Some prefer the cardinal approach and quitting smoking abruptly. Others try to avoid stress for the body and mind and quit smoking by reducing the number of cigarettes.
Each method has its positive and negative sides. In particular, sudden cessation of smoking leads to the emergence of withdrawal syndrome, which is expressed by the following symptoms:
- dizziness, headache;
- cough (initially dry, then with copious phlegm), shortness of breath;
- blood pressure spikes;
- arrhythmia;
- sleep disorders (night insomnia and daytime drowsiness);
- digestive disorders;
- weakened immunity, as a result of frequent colds;
- irritability, nervousness;
- lethargy, apathy, depression;
- emotional instability;
- decreased performance, deterioration of concentration, lethargy.
Symptoms can appear in any combination and proceed with varying degrees of severity. It all depends on the experience of the smoker and the individual characteristics of the organism. The hardest part was in the first week. Further, when the body is cleansed, the symptoms will decrease.
How to overcome withdrawal symptoms and not start smoking again?
Withdrawal syndrome is different for people. But those with severe symptoms should know that the condition is temporary and will pass quickly, even if it seems that every day it only gets worse and improvement will not come.
Important!The main thing in the early stages is to be patient and don’t try to improve your situation with another "last" cigarette.
There are many suggestions on how to get through the first few days after quitting smoking and not smoking again.
- One of the main conditions is the absence of provoking factors. Anything reminiscent of bad habits should be discarded. Packs of cigarettes, lighters, ashtrays should be out of sight.
- Motivation is very important. Understanding why you quit smoking, and what the positive aspects of rejection of the addiction are, it is easier to survive from temporary unwellness.
- Reading themed literature or watching programs will help you confirm the accuracy of your decisions and make it easier to get through the first few days without smoking. Another effective way to replace smoking rituals with others. For example, you can peel and slice an apple and then eat it.
- Effectively helps to overcome sports withdrawal syndrome. True, this option will be useful at a later stage, when the state of health improves slightly. And even after that, you can not immediately load the body. But classes in the pool, walking, biking, roller skating or roller skating are just right. This method will not only help distract psychologically, but also contribute to a quick cleansing of the body.
- According to experts, communication with comrades -in -arms in an accident helps a lot. If you have someone to discuss the problem with or just complain about, then it is easier to quit smoking.
- Nutrition during the smoking cessation period plays an important role. For example, tomatoes, eggplant and cauliflower contain negligible amounts of nicotine. Eating these foods can help reduce the urge to smoke without endangering your health.
An effective way to quit smoking
It’s hardly worth it to explain to anyone why it’s worth quitting smoking. Moreover, this explanation is not needed by hardcore smokers who have already felt the negative effects of nicotine on health and the body.
There are many ways you can get rid of addiction effectively. This is the use of special drugs that reduce the craving for nicotine and reduce the manifestations of withdrawal syndrome, and folk remedies, and psychotherapy techniques.
Pharmacological agents
To quit smoking on your own, eliminate the craving for nicotine on a physical and psychological level, and cope with the manifestation of withdrawal symptoms, medication helps.
Three groups of drugs can be distinguished:
- Nicotine replacement agent. . . This is a product that contains low concentrations of nicotine. They help gradually, that is, more painlessly, quit smoking. The selection is quite large, candies, chewing gum, sprays, fillings help to quit smoking more easily. Sucking lollipops is very popular. According to some studies, the use of nicotine -containing medications can help halve the intensity of withdrawal symptoms.
- Nicotinic receptor agonists.The active ingredients of these drugs act on receptors that respond to nicotine. As a result, the mechanism changes and the person stops enjoying smoking, and in some cases begins to feel disgusted for it.
- Sedatives and antidepressants.The use of this group of drugs is primarily aimed at relieving psychological discomfort, eliminating anxiety and irritability.
But the transition to electronic cigarettes, which many consider an easy way to quit smoking, experts do not recommend. Such tools are also unhealthy and highly addictive. So the only outcome that can be expected is the replacement of one bad habit with another.
The technique is not a drug
Many methods of quitting smoking are not drug related. Various types of hypnosis are considered effective, which form a sharp negative attitude towards smoking in a person.
Various methods of coding from smoking are also popular, among which the Dovzhenko method is highly distinguished. The essence is that psychotherapeutic effects from multiple directions are applied to the patient. This means that, on the one hand, smokers are taught a negative attitude towards smoking, and on the other hand, they illustrate in paint all the advantages of living without cigarettes.
Traditional medicine plays a big role in quitting smoking. There are many herbal recipes available to reduce smoking cravings and reduce withdrawal symptoms. There are many great recipes. The most popular are the following:
- boil unrefined oats;
- tea made from oregano, mint, St. John's wort. John and yarrow;
- decoction of chamomile seeds, valerian, mint, fennel and cumin;
- drinks with ginger and honey;
- soothing valerian and mint tea;
- absorption of calamus root helps relieve the urge to smoke.
Here are some more tips to help you quit smoking:
- you need to choose a specific date, and preferably at a time when important things and stressful situations are not planned (for example, exams, passing an important project or moving to a new apartment);
- avoiding coffee will greatly make it easier to quit smoking;
- maintain the availability of healthy snacks (fresh vegetables and fruits, dried fruits, seeds, nuts);
- convey your wishes to as many people as possible, experience shows that the attention and support of outside observers significantly reduces the likelihood of damage;
- install special applications on the phone;
- find something to your liking that will spend your free time.
Another option is to argue with someone for a reasonable amount. In this case, the desire to win will save you from falling. Some are helped by unconventional methods such as acupuncture.
When should you see a doctor?
It is easier to quit smoking with the help of a professional. Narcologists will advise effective methods to quit smoking and help relieve withdrawal symptoms. Depending on the smoking treatment method chosen, you can consult a therapist experienced in the treatment of nicotine addiction, a neuropathologist or psychotherapist.
In addition, a doctor should be consulted in cases where the symptoms of rejection syndrome are very pronounced or do not disappear even after a long time. And also if there is a concomitant disease, then you need to contact a doctor of appropriate specialization, for example, a cardiologist or pulmonologist.
Common mistakes and misunderstandings
Many of those who think about how to quit smoking once and for all make some mistakes that question the success of their plans. These include the following:
- intention not to quit, but less smoking (practically no one has managed to control the rate of cigarette use);
- indulging in the process of withdrawal, for example, allowing yourself to smoke a cigarette to calm yourself down (this will negate all that has been accomplished);
- switch to lighter cigarettes (in most cases it is possible to achieve only the number of cigarettes smoked per day increases).
In addition, many believe that they can overcome psychological dependence at any time, which means they are in control of the situation. This illusion leads to the fact that a person increasingly falls into the power of bad habits, endangers his health, and quitting smoking becomes increasingly unattainable.
Conclusion
Everyone has their own way to quit smoking. Methods that have helped a relative or friend may not help in your case. But you can not despair, if there is desire and perseverance, then there is a way that is suitable for everyone.
And to speed up decisions and make quitting habits more comfortable, you can use an integrated approach, combining several options.